6th February 2025
Freddie van Mierlo, MP for Henley and Thame, has asked the House of Commons to take action over the recent flooding across the UK and address the devastating impact on communities, businesses, and transport.
His motion has already received the support of more than 18 MPs across the country, acknowledges the tragic loss of life due to flooding and severe weather, and expresses gratitude for the efforts of emergency responders, utility company staff, and communities in responding to these events.
But it raises the significant concerns voiced to him by his constituents that current eligibility criteria for flooding support schemes leave many rural communities without vital support. It further notes that the Flood Recovery Framework has not been activated following the devastating floods that affected the local area in September, despite over 1,000 homes being flooded during those catastrophic inundations.
His Early Day Motion calls on the Government to take several key actions:
- Reassess eligibility criteria for flooding support schemes to ensure all flooded properties are supported.
- Tailor the qualifying criteria for the Farming Recovery Fund to reflect the realities of flooding for rural communities and farmers.
- Raise the Environmental Land Management budget by £1 billion a year to recognise farmers' key role in managing flood water.
- Commit to funding for flood defences past 2026 to allow local authorities to develop long-term flood preparedness plans.
- Ringfence funding allocations for natural flood risk management.
The signatories of this petition urges the Government to take immediate action to address these critical issues and ensure that communities affected by flooding receive the support they need.
